Eucalyptus conica
| Fuzzy box | |
|---|---|
| |
| habit near Yarrowyck | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Eucalyptus |
| Species: | E. conica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Eucalyptus conica | |
Eucalyptus conica, commonly known as fuzzy box,[2] is a species of tree endemic to eastern Australia. It has rough, flaky bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth above, lance-shaped adult leaves, oval to diamond-shaped flower buds mostly arranged on a branching inflorescence on the ends of the branchlets, white flowers and conical fruit.
Description
[edit]Eucalyptus conica is a tree that typically grows to a height of 20 m (66 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has rough, flaky greyish bark with some paler patches, on the trunk and larger branches, smooth whitish bark on the thinner branches. Young plants and coppice regrowth have egg-shaped leaves 40–80 mm (1.6–3.1 in) long and 14–45 mm (0.55–1.77 in) wide. Adult leaves are the same dull green or bluish colour on both sides, lance-shaped, 55–140 mm (2.2–5.5 in) long and 10–25 mm (0.39–0.98 in) wide on a petiole 8–23 mm (0.31–0.91 in) long. The flower buds are mostly arranged along a branching inflorescence, each branch with seven buds, the peduncle 3–15 mm (0.12–0.59 in) long, the individual buds on pedicel 2–6 mm (0.079–0.236 in) long. Mature buds are oval to diamond-shaped, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) wide with a conical, rounded or beaked operculum. Flowering occurs between July and December and the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, conical capsule 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) wide with the valves near the level of the rim or enclosed below it.[2][3][4]
Taxonomy and naming
[edit]Eucalyptus conica was first formally described in 1900 by Henry Deane and Joseph Maiden and the description was published in Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales.[5][6] The specific epithet (conica) is derived from the Latin word conicus meaning "conical" and refers to the shape of the fruit.[2]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]Fuzzy box grows on heavier alluvial soils in grassy woodland from near Wagga Wagga to the Northern Tablelands in New South Wales and Carnarvon National Park in Queensland.
-
lower trunk bark -
upper bark
References
[edit]- ^ "Eucalyptus conica". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ a b c "Eucalyptus conica". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- ^ Hill, Ken. "Eucalyptus conica". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus conica". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ "Eucalyptus conica". APNI. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ Deane, Henry; Maiden, Joseph (1900). "Observations on the Eucalypts of New South Wales". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. 24 (4): 612–614. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.7686. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- A Field Guide to Eucalypts - Brooker & Kleinig volume 1, ISBN 0-909605-62-9 page 259